Sunday, March 22, 2009

Police investigating UDF threats

By Lucy Liponda

Malawi Police authorities are reported to be investigating threats made by senior officials for the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) party, Malawi Digest understands.

The threats were made on Saturday by three senior opposition politicians, Hophmally Makande UDF deputy secretary general, Abubakar Mbaya UDF governor for the eastern region and Kamlepo Kalua of the Malawi Democratic Party at Mangochi airfield during the launch of the UDF manifesto led by former president Bakili Muluzi.

The threats made by the three opposition leaders are some of the strongest coercion made by any Malawian politician in public in recent years.

Impeccable Malawi Police sources have disclosed to Malawi Digest that they are not taking the statements made trio at the rally lightly.

“Police officers from Mangochi who were at the rally are compiling information on what the three politicians said,” said our Police source.

The high ranking Police officer based at the Eastern Region’s Police Division in the former colonial capital of Zomba told Malawi Digest that the security organisation is more concerned that even after the three politicians made these threats, former president Bakili Muluzi did not caution them or distance himself from the threats in his address at the rally.

“This makes us wonder if these people were not speaking on instructions from Muluzi. We are putting pieces of information together and within seven days, a decision will be made on how to proceed,” he said.

Addressing the people at the rally, Makande said the UDF was giving the independent Malawi Electoral Commission seven days to make another fresh announcement of presidential candidates and include Muluzi’s name.

“After these seven days, we are ready to set this country on fire the way people did in Madagascar, Kenya and Zimbabwe disregarding the law,” said Makande before Joy radio lowered the microphones to take him off air.

However, Makande repeated the threats in an interview with Joy radio during a heavy rain down pour that whatever happens, Muluzi will take part in the May 19th elections.

“We are going to fight our way through and that president Bingu wa Mutharika will run away from this country,” he said.

Almost similar threats were repeated by regional governor Abubakar Mbaya who spoke after Makande.

He told the rally and Muluzi in particular that the people who attended the rally were ready to do anything on behalf of Muluzi.

“These people here are ready to do anything in whatever way to make sure that Muluzi stands in May. We are ready to die for our party,” he said.

At this point, Joy radio also lowered the microphone once again to take Mbaya off air.

The threatening was joined by MDP president Kamlepo Kalua who said that he does not fear Malawi President Dr Bingu wa Mutharika and the country’s security services the Malawi Police.

“I don’t fear the Police, Bingu wa Mutharika and anyone in Malawi. In fact President Mutharika is a coward,” he said.

This is not the first time, the opposition UDF has opted to use threats in order to survive politically.

About three years ago, former president Bakili Muluzi told a political rally he addressed in the central region district of Nkhotakota that he was going to remove President Dr Bingu wa Mutharika from his post in whatever way before the elapse of his time in power.

He said, “Sindingalephere kupwetsa chubu chimene ndinapopa ndekha (I cannot fail to deflate the tube that I inflated,” he said.

The opposition UDF party of Bakili Muluzi is well known for using threats, lies and inflammatory language at its rallies – Malawi Digest.

I wonder why the people like Jumbe, Mvula are suporting these thags. Brown was brave enough and knew this. Let these others accept the reality. Gwanda's eyes have been open. Bakili has terorist spirit if you don't know. We need to destroy these spirit otherwise we will be shocked to see suicide bombers here in Malawi sponsored by Bakili. Ndakuuzani

Malawi digest,Please could you confirm or refute the stories on nyasanet/nyasatimes about Bingu's ill health? Is it true that the rally was counselled because Bingu is in coma and has been flown to SA! I am worried for our beloved president and country!

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